ZIMO DIFFERENCE

 

Advantages of the ZIMO DCC system

From the very beginning, ZIMO has always been “over-engineered”. We always try to find and implement the very best solution for any element of the system; beginning with the system’s architecture up to the way software is controlled.
While offering all high level standard features of the DCC world, ZIMO has additional characteristics, which make the system stand out from rival products. This is a (possibly incomplete and continuously) growing list of such features:

  • Multi protocol operation (NMRA-DCC and MOTOROLA).
  • Fully stabilized and infinitely adjustable track voltage (from 12V to 24 V).
  • Programming track with capability to operate trains.
  • Built-in volt and amp meters.
  • User can update system and decoders via Internet.
  • Multifunctional cabs (handhelds) including loco and accessory operations programming, routes, block control, context sensitive multilevel menus, full color touch screen display, UBS port etc.
  • Bidirectional communication for wireless cabs. All functions available in radio mode (Acquiring, programming, routes etc.).
  • Virtually noiseless and very smooth way of driving the locomotive motors (up to 40 kHz frequency). 
  • Function mapping not only corresponding to, but going beyond the NMRA recommendations.
  • Prototypical slow illumination and dimming of signals.  
  • AND the very unique "Signal controlled speed influence" and “loco number identification”.
     

The most outstanding features of the ZIMO system:

ZIMO offers many advantages (like powerful start sets, wireless cabs, supersonic decoders, etc.), but there are two outstanding features, which make the big difference between ZIMO systems and all other digital systems:

“Signal controlled speed influence" and “Loco number identification", both have been used successfully for many decades, even going back as far as to the days of the "old" ZIMO data format; it has been perfected over the years and of course also operates with the NMRA-DCC standard.
 
Realistic railway operation with “signal controlled speed influence”: 

“Signal controlled speed influence" is a method of stopping trains or to apply speed limits to certain track sections depending on actual circumstances of operation (e.g. state of signals). The stop and speed limit information is accepted by all locos independent of their decoder address.

Different ways (other than ZIMO´s):

The “conventional” method: The power supply to the track section belonging to the red signal is switched off. Disadvantages: lights are off (also sound, etc.), no control over train as long as signal stays red.

The computerized method: The actual position for all trains is calculated at all times by a computer; the speed influence is made via normal DCC commands.
Disadvantages: Computer and a lot of associated equipment (occupancy detectors, etc.) distributed all over the whole layout is necessary right from the beginning; no unrestricted (manual) operation of trains possible, as computer would lose track of the train’s position.

The brake generator method: In certain track section the digital control information is replaced by broadcast commands which only contain speed information.
Disadvantages: no control over the train from the cab during stop; complicated setup to avoid bridging the gap (both-rail) between sections by locos and cars.

ZIMO´s special way:

The “signal controlled speed influence” method: Speed limit bits (stop and 5 speed steps) are fed into the data stream, which do not replace or alter the individual loco instructions coming from the cabs. So all disadvantages mentioned above can be avoided and some good features are added.

Advantages:

  • full control over headlights and other loco functions (steam, sound, etc.) are maintained at all times, even when stopped at a red signal and in restricted speed sections
  • overriding the signal controlled stop or speed limit is possible from the cab with the special “MAN” key
  • acceleration and deceleration rate of locos is adjustable on an individual basis (by special decoder configuration variables which are added to the normal NMRA set)
  • bridging the isolation gap between adjacent track sections does not cause short circuits or other undefinable conditions.

ZIMO´s “signal controlled speed influence” is an economical method, too: no additional decoder hardware is needed (which is very important because of space limitations), and rather simple electronic circuitry in the track section modules MX9 apply speed limits to track sections.
For computer controlled layouts the "STP" SOFTWARE takes advantage of this special ZIMO feature: The computer has no need to internally follow train numbers across the layout, because no DCC commands are issued directly to any loco decoder; instead trains are controlled indirectly via track sections. Manually driven trains as well as manual interventions are recognized by STP automatically.

Loco number identification:

Each loco decoder acknowledges the received commands with a special pulse on the rail. This pulse is detected by track section circuitry inside each MX9 module, thereby not only identifying the loco address but also its precise location on the layout.

System architecture - The CAN-Bus:

One of the most important characteristics of a DCC system is the data link (the "Bus") between system components like the command stations, cabs, modules for feedback information etc. The differences in this respect among the various systems are unnoticed when starting with a DCC application, but they will be crucial as the layout grows and more and more components are connected to the bus.
Well-known bus systems are the X-Bus (used by Lenz, Arnold), the Loconet (used by Digitrax), the NCE-Bus (used by NCE and Wangrow/RamTraxx), and the CAN-Bus (used by ZIMO/STP).
The ZIMO CAN-Bus is probably the most powerful and reliable data link used in model railroad control today. It works as a Local Area Network (LAN) with multi-master capability; there is no time-consuming polling by a central device.

HIGHEST SPEED (115 kbit/s):

This is more than any of the rival systems offer. Although a bus with lower speed would be sufficient if used as cab bus only, the ZIMO CAN-Bus shows its superior performance if e.g. hundreds of occupancy detectors and loco number identification boards have to transmit continually changing information to a computer (or to several computers). Because the ZIMO Can-Bus is of such high performance, the system does not need two separate buses: one as a cab bus and the other as a feedback bus. All data transfer takes place within one network. 

HIGHEST RELIABILITY:

The CAN-Bus hardware and software protocol is widely used in industrial, automotive and medical applications. The physical layer is similar to the well-known RS-485 standard, but with special capabilities in order to handle heavy traffic efficiently. Extensive automatic error recognition and correction is included in the CAN protocol. Error counters, which are provided in the micro controllers of all cabs and modules, allow successful problem diagnosis, if this should be necessary at some time.

FREE TOPOLOGY FOR MOST APPLICATIONS:

Only in cases of excessive CAN bus wire length (over 1000 feet), should the CAN-BUS be installed as a "linear terminated bus" that is, it should be wired from point to point with terminating resistors at both ends of the
network. Can Buses of up to 150 ft (in some cases up to 300 ft) can be networked in any pattern without restrictions.

EASY TO WIRE:

The ZIMO CAN-Bus uses 6 pin TelCo type connectors and ribbon cable. The CAN-Bus itself only needs 2 wires of the 6-wire cable but more wires are required for power supply to the cabs and modules as well as various “grounds”. CAN-Bus cables in various lengths are available from ZIMO. Alternatively the user can make his own cables in any length desired. The special pair of pliers required, cable and connectors are also available from ZIMO or your local electronic supply store. Making your own wires makes sense for larger layouts where many accessory modules, track section modules etc. need to be connected to the CAN bus. This eliminates any waiting times and also saves some money.